The EPA was planning to waive ethanol requirements for clean gasoline because of the massive drought that has impacted corn corps and shrinking ethanol refining capacity.

Ethanol, and the lack there of, has created bottlenecks in US gasoline distribution - and there have been problems across the country at various times due to the lack of fuel additives.

Given the massive reduction in gasoline usage as a nation in the last seven years, the huge increase in engine efficiency, reducing emissions so much that some states like Washington are ending all emissions testing in a phased rollout. There are so few vehicles failing, there is no sense in doing the testing - and Washington adopted the strict California standard. Further, E-10 reduces fuel economy by 7% to 10% (and is one of the main reasons the average driver doesn't achieve the EPA window sticker tests) because ethanol produces less BTUs per gram than gasoline. Chemistry 101.

So, why, why oh why, would the EPA be blocked from removing the ethanol requirement in blended fuel (and in snow belt states and the Northeast ethanol is a definite necessary evil to act as "dry gas" and keep water from forming in the gasoline during winter months). If the prices are high. If the supply is tight. If standards don't require E-10 (again beyond the above mentioned frozen plains and high elevation states), and it hurts fuel economy - WHY? Why keep doing it???

Why, the corn lobby and politicians from the very red flyover states are very much against an EPA waiver that would allow refiners to not have to add E-10 to gasoline. Seems it will hurt corn sales, and depress prices for grain, which is already at artificially inflated prices and has trickled into raising the price for breakfast cereals, chicken, and cooking oil.

Just remember dear reader, the GOP isn't against welfare, they are just against social welfare. The irony that conservative GOP leaders in red flyover states are SUPPORTING the EPA evil agenda and fighting to keep the price of gasoline artificially high. By propping up the corn industry, and their campaign contributors, they are adding to non-CPI inflation for both food and energy costs.

But take heart - they are looking out for your lungs - and corporate factory farms, and ironically big oil - who made massive investments in the last 10 years in ethanol infrastructure. Translation, Exxon/Mobil, Chevron, Arco, et al don't give a crap - either way they make money AND get corporate subsidies.

Oh thank you GOP, thank you, for saving us from mountains of vast government waste and looking out for the average middle class taxpayer.